Morena Malfoy
by Dragonshitlavellan
Summary: An epic in the works. Morena is the daughter of Lucius Malfoy but not Narcissa Black. While she searches for a true home, she has quite the adventure! I'm no good with summaries, and I don't want to give too much away!
1. Chapter 1

Screams echoed throughout the stone chamber. A woman lay on a metal bed with rough sheets. Her golden hair splayed around her head like a sweaty, gruesome crown. A blonde man turned away, a sound of disgust swelling from his chest.

"If you could please wait outside, Mr. Malfoy," a mediwitch snapped.

"I will not be ordered around in my own home, filthy Mudblood! You were brought here only by some horrid mistake of that incompetent receptionist!" Lucius Malfoy snapped.

However, he did exit the room, making sure the door closed with a loud _BANG!_ that covered the woman's next scream. He walked briskly up to the main level of the house where his intended, Narcissa Black, sat with her hands delicately folded in her lap. He joined her on the dark leather loveseat and gently cupped his hands around hers.

"I'm sorry that you are here for this, my love. I never meant for you to even sense her presence. Merlin, I never meant for myself to sense it."

"I know you only slept with the wench because of me. I'm so sorry I said those things about your brother."

"Don't be. It was wrong for me to feel so attached to a filthy blood traitor anyways. Besides, he has passed now so there is no point in thinking of him. Now we must think of our future and how to recover our reputations from this little mongrel of a scandal." Lucius looked viciously at the door leading to the basement as another scream rang out. Narcissa clutched his hand.

"It sure does sound painful," she stated coolly.

"Don't worry, your child will be born in much better circumstances. No one shall even think to send an incompetent Mudblood for you. No, you shall have the finest pureblooded healers in the world at your fingertips."

Narcissa smiled at her husband-to-be and rested her head against his shoulder.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The two must have fallen asleep because soon one of the house's maids spoke gently.

"Mr. Malfoy, sir, it's a girl."

She held a bundle of soft black blankets and from it a pale head with thick blonde hair could be seen. The woman moved as if to offer the baby to one of the two, but neither moved to recieve it.

"Narcissa shall not touch the child. Father says that it cannot be taken from this house or harmed as someone outside of the family managed to catch wind of this. I shall not touch the child. Do with it what must be done," Lucius looked at the baby apathetically. Narcissa seemed less than thrilled at the sight of it.

"Yes sir," the maid nodded. She and the child disappeared into the basement once again. The woman on the metal bed was motionless as the maid reappeared.

"I'm so sorry, Morena. Your mother might not be here to protect you, but I will. I'll do what must be done and raise you. Nothing is going to hurt you as long as I'm here to stop it." The maid laid the child in a freshly scourgio'd bassinet and sat in a chair beside it, gently rocking the basket.

* * *

**So, this story has been playing around in my head for a long while and I know I have a lot of other unfinished stories that I could be finishing or working on but I've lost interest for the moment. I have four short chapters already written for this and I've been writing future scenes, like really far in the future scenes, so this will probably be a long story. I've had more time to write because I've had the flu the past few days so I've been home. Plus, this is my senior year in high school! I only have a handful of classes, three to be exact, and they're all rather easy artsy classes and I'm a teacher's aide in my other block, so I should have time to write at home more often! I have a whole page 21 page document on Morena's character and what I plan to do with her so look forward to that! I've made a tumblr for Morena simply called .com so go check it out! I'll be posting my own headcanons and such from there as if it were Morena making the posts!**

**R&amp;R**

**~Thorne**


	2. Chapter 2

**So updates probably won't usually happen this often, but I saw that there were already two followers for this story and decided to give them a treat. I'd expect maybe a chapter per month, especially since this fifth chapter I'm working on is giving me hell! It's ridiculous, every time I get into the writing zone, I have to do something else around the house or practice driving. Anyway, here's the second chapter, don't expect quick updates often, and enjoy!**

Narcissa and Lucius married in July, two months after Morena's birth. The staff of Malfoy Manor raised that little girl. They loved her and showered her in what small gifts they could find. They spent every moment they could spare with the girl, reading to her, talking to her, holding her, making her feel loved. By 8 months of age she was taking her first unsteady steps. By 9, she walked everywhere. At 14 months she was using no and please regularly.

She started asking for her father before she learned the names of her caretakers and sometimes she'd sit on the floor of the kitchen yelling into the rest of the house for the man. He always ignored her and only came in when she did it during a party. Whatever staff member was nearest got a quick jinx and Morena was grabbed up roughly and shoved into the arms of the nearest maid. She stopped calling for him when she was two. The September after her second birthday she started reading. She mostly read the books the staff had bought her about dragons while clutching a wooden dragon carving Phillip Parkinson, a squib from said family and now the butler at Malfoy Manor, had bought her with his meager wages.

She spent her first four years with the house staff as many normal pureblood children would except they usually also had nannies and family visitors and a nice big nursery. Morena did not. She lived in the underground staff quarters with her caretakers. When people started to question why Lucius hadn't given a party for Morena's fifth birthday, the Malfoy's were assured that everyone thought the child was Narcissa's and they had just been embarrassed about the premarital birth. That was when Morena was given a lovely room in her own wing, which was still unusual but less unusual than having her in the dungeons with the staff. Morean loved her room but often missed her friends in the kitchen so she would escape often to carefully tread past her father's study, where he and Narcissa spent most of their time, and hop down the service stairs into the kitchens. She stayed as long as the staff would let her and never cried when they escorted her back up the stairs. If she were ever caught the kitchen staff just said she'd been looking for a cookie or some juice. While Lucius never exactly warmed to the girl and nearly always declined seeing her in her room, Narcissa played the role of doting mother very well, taking the girl for shopping trips when she knew important purebloods would be out and about, always dressing her wonderfully for the many balls held at the manor, and playing with the girl from time to time so she wouldn't accidentally make suggestions of neglect when guests came knocking.

Morena's favorite game was pirates. She didn't know much about them, but she did know they sailed in ships and wore "funny hats." She would sit on her bed and Narcissa would charm a sheet to look like a billowing sail. Morena often asked if her father would come and be a giant squid she and her "mummy" could fight, but Narcissa always had some excuse ready for him and instead pretended to be the squid herself. By the time Morena's sixth birthday rolled around, Narcissa was harboring a genuine affection for the sweet girl. She even convinced her husband to throw a small ball where only the best of pureblooded children would attend. Morena was dressed in a sea foam dress that had just enough ruffling to be tasteful and some bloomers long enough to be played in. However, she had never really played with other children before, preferring to stand somewhere she could go unnoticed at balls and listen to the adults converse.

"Morena, sweetie, we had this party so you could go meet some friends. Why don't you go play with someone?" Narcissa asked.

"Can't I just stay here, Mummy?" Morena looked up and pouted just the way she knew Narcissa would melt to.

"Go on and play with the other children. Mind Narcissa," Lucius said coldly. Morena looked at him and saw the dangerous look in his eyes. She nodded and went off to a small clump of children that were playing ring around the cauldron.

After the party, Narcissa went to Lucius to ask a favor.

"Dear, don't you think it's time Morena started learning to play an instrument? I learned as a girl and I'd say it was quite useful to me," Narcissa stated, brushing her hair at her vanity. Lucius looked at her suspiciously.

"Why would she need to know something so frivolous?" he asked.

"It's just that many girls learn around this age and are often asked to perform at small gatherings to prove their charm. Do you not remember all those parlour parties we attended during Hogwarts holidays?"

"Yes, I just thought that was something you did for prized children with clear bloodlines," he quipped.

"Everyone still seems to think Morena is my child and as such it would be embarrassing to me if we did not get her a tutor for the piano at the very least."

"Yes, alright. I wouldn't want my wife to be embarrassed about her maternal capabilities before she even had a child of her own."

Narcissa smiled at her husband and kissed him sweetly before putting the lights out.

Morena started piano lessons the next day. Within the next year she also started vocal training as well as flute and violin lessons. WIth her days filled with music practices, Morena started to become more active in her spare time. She would now go outside to play instead of indoors. Her favorite activity was lizard catching and she soon became adept in that, often bringing in small treasures to surprise the staff with. She never brought them to Narcissa, fearing harsh punishment from Lucius. She did, however, give Philip quite a few starts when he found lizards in his pockets.

**Since I haven't been writing, I have forgotten what little I knew about ending these chapters so sorry for the abrupt ending. Shoot me a review please! It really does help!**


	3. Chapter 3

Come November of 1979, Narcissa started spending less and less time with Morena. When Morena did see her, Narcissa, whose stomach had grown round with maternity, was too tired to play pirates so Morena had to settle for storytimes cut short by Narcissa falling asleep or Lucius summoning her for one appointment or another.

The house was growing tense and even the staff had less time to entertain the six year old. Her seventh birthday party was very small and only about five other families were invited, her least favorite ones at that. The children of the families were either cruel, boring and stuffy, or too old or young for the games Morena wanted to play.

By July, Narcissa spent most of her time in her husband's study or in her gardens, reading aloud to her belly. Morena sat with her in the garden often, playing with the Manor cats and listening to Narcissa read. June brought Narcissa indoors and by the fifth, she was in labor. Lucius, on Narcissa's request, burst into Morena's room and hurriedly grabbed her and her least favorite stuffy (Alistair the Chimera, a gift from a Lestrange relation) and carried her much how a linebacker would carry an American football down the service stairs before shoving her into the arms of Philip. By noon, Narcissa had a lovely baby boy with the lightest blonde hair anyone in the house had ever seen.

Morena often snuck out of her wing and into her parents' to sneak a peek of Draco while Lucius was out, which was increasingly often. Sometimes her father didn't return for days and when he did return, he sat at Narcissa's feet while she held Draco and fed him or read to him. Once, Morena walked in and saw Lucius asleep with his head on his wife's knee while she told a story about a brave wizard defeating a fearsome dragon, one arm holding her son and one hand playing with her husband's long blonde hair. Morena fantasized that they had sat like this when she was a baby, but remembered only the kitchens and playing in the ashes or reading her own book and staining it with her grubby hands. While she did often feel jealous of her baby brother, she never resented him. In fact, she spent as much time as she could with him in his room or in the garden when Narcissa took him for walks.

The October after Draco's first birthday was a very confusing time for poor eight year old Morena. People came in and out of the house, many of them seeming to hide their faces in any way they could. Narcissa spent most of her time locked away in Draco's nursery and encouraged Morena to stay in her room. Morena did, but she often got lonely and would call for someone to play with her. She was either hushed roughly by Lucius or given soft reprimands by the house staff. The house filled with nervous tension and short tempers. The first of November brought an end to the tension, but also brought a distinct feeling of fear. The house was often quiet and Lucius was often out attending to "business." He came back looking relieved one day and that brought an end to the fear. Lucius spent more time out of the house, but when he was home, he was less short with Morena and even allowed her to play with Draco in his office while he and Narcissa had tea and a nice chat. He never really grew fond of her, but he no longer despised her presence and even seemed to enjoy having a built in babysitter.

In May of 1984, Morena turned eleven and the Malfoy's threw the largest ball they had thrown for her. She was dressed in a deep emerald dress that went just below her knees and had a slightly fluffy skirt. She wore her champagne blonde hair in an elegant braided twist. She looked beautiful and floated around the room, chatting to children and adults with ease. She spent just enough time with each conversation partner and everyone left feeling they'd known the girl for her entire life. She showcased the skills she'd been developing over the years in a small concert, playing a piece on each of her instruments from memory and even singing along to her piano piece. After applause and compliments it was time to draw the party to an elaborately orchestrated, seemingly natural close.

When Morena got to her room she tiredly changed into a night dress and removed the makeup Narcissa had applied and flopped into bed with a large sigh. She felt both invigorated from all the attention and slightly used as she knew most of what she'd said about her childhood had been a lie. She remembered when Narcissa had finally started paying attention to her, her father's distaste for her. She knew something about her circumstances were different than her brother's but she'd always just chalked it up to be the way a boy and a girl were raised, but hearing what the other girls her age had said about their upbringings she knew that wasn't the case. There was something different, bad, about her. She started to weep softly and turned onto her stomach to bury her face into the pillow.

* * *

**So here's another chapter which I probably shouldn't be posting so early because holy crap is chapter five giving me problems. I just lost steam and I can't stop looking at pictures of Lee Pace. Jesus. Anyway, I've been reading Philosopher's Stone and I'm nearly to the train chapter, which is what chapter 5 is, and I'm hoping that'll give me some inspiration. In case you're wondering, I've been listening to the Violent Femmes spotify station while writing this and it helps a lot of the time, especially with creating way later on stuff, but it's not young enough and innocent enough for this first book. Agh! If you have any suggestions, please let me know. I'm open to pretty much any music stuff.**

**R&amp;R**

**~Thorne**


	4. Chapter 4

In the morning, Morena was awoken by an owl tapping at her window. She climbed into the window seat and opened the large window. The barn owl hopped onto the owl stand on the wall and held out it's leg. A large envelope was attached to it with a large purple wax seal. It was addressed to Morena Malfoy, the Master Bedroom of the East Wing of Malfoy Manor. Morena opened the letter to find that it was her acceptance letter to Hogwarts! Her parents often talked about their time at Hogwarts fondly and she knew that was where they met and started dating. She gave the owl a treat and left the window open for it before running, still in her nightdress, down the hall towards her father's study. She knew he'd already be awake, getting in some extra work while he took his morning tea. She turned to run down the hall that led to his office only to see him exiting.

"No running in the house, Morena! it is most undignified," Lucius reprimanded.

"Sorry, Father," he refused to let Morena call him Daddy, as she had done when she was still with the staff. "It's just, I got this letter and I thought you might like to see it before you headed off to work."

She approached him and gently handed him the now slightly ruffled pieces of parchment. He read them carefully and smiled at her with a little warmth, something she wasn't used to seeing.

"Good, go ask Narcissa to take you to Diagon Alley, I'm sure she'd be more than pleased to take you shopping today. Dress well, we don't want anyone to think we always let you go tromping around in your nightdress."

Morena smiled widely at the humor in his voice. It was a rare treat to hear anything other than indifference in her father's voice. As he set off to the main fireplace, she set off to Draco's nursery. He'd be turning four in June, which only left one more year until his big coming into society party. She knocked quietly before entering. Draco toddled up to her and she held his hand as she walked over to Narcissa's chair. They had been reading one of Morena's old favorites, The Dragon and The Unicorn, before she came in.

"What do you have there, Morena," Narcissa asked coyly.

"You know what it is, Mother," Morena smiled. Narcissa's innocent smile faltered at the use of 'Mother' as it always did, but Morena paid no mind to it, as always.

"Is it a letter?"

"Of course, it's my Hogwarts letter!" Morena had reached her chair and handed the letter gingerly to Narcissa, admiring her mother's long and delicate fingers. Narcissa read over the letter, smiling, as Morena played with Draco and his letter blocks. He had taken to trying to spell names. They had spelled his and Morena's and were starting on Narcissa's by the time she had finished reading.

"Go and get dressed, Morena. I'll call Dobby up to care for Draco today."

Morena nodded and went to dress in her favorite set of ocean blue robes. She pulled her hair up and secured it neatly with a simple comb she had received for her birthday. She also added some tinted lip salve before deciding she was presentable. Morena hurried down the stairs to find Narcissa waiting at the fireplace and they quickly flooed to the Leaky Cauldron, entering Diagon Alley with their heads held high and floating regally down the line of shops. Morena had studied her mother's walk for years and perfected her own to match perfectly. Their first stop was Madam Malkin's. The witch already had Morena's measurements, but took them again, 'just in case all her birthday cake had changed anything.' The women laughed fondly at Morena's indignant blush.

Next they stopped off at Flourish and Blott's and ordered her textbooks, to be delivered to the Manor. They went into a cafe and had a nice brunch where they discussed which type of animal Morena would like to take to school.

"I was mulling it over while getting measured and while a cat sounds like a wonderful idea, it seems more logical to take an owl, so I can send you and father letters," Morena said after finishing off her fruit salad.

"Well, the school has owls that you can use while you're there, so if you really want a cat, we can get one," Narcissa smiled. She had brought a cat to school herself, a pure white cat with piercing green eyes. She loved that cat, but he had died in a fight with a Kneazle.

"Alright, cat it is then!" Morena ate the rest of her meal as quickly as she could while still seeming a high born young lady. Narcissa laughed quietly and sped up a bit as well. Morena was nearly bouncing off the shop fronts as she made her way to Magical Menagerie. She examined all the cats with a skilled eye and finally decided on a gray and white tabby. He had been curled up in the corner of the display until Morena stopped in front of the cage. He had walked up to the partition and gently put his paw on the glass and made a cute chirping noise that could barely be heard over the din of messenger birds. The cat was put into a crate and immediately sent to Malfoy Manor with a note from Narcissa to set the young cat up in Morena's bedroom.

"Next stop, Ollivander's!" Narcissa proclaimed softly. Morena giggled at the liveliness Narcissa was showing. They walked together to the shop but Narcissa did not enter.

"I'd like to get back to Draco soon, so you go in and find your wand, I'll go grab your other supplies," Narcissa nudged Morena into the shop and hurried off down the road. When Morena entered the shop she was greeted by a ginger man whose slightly balding head shone in the dim light. With him was a boy about Morena's age with the same ginger hair.

"Hello, dear, are you looking to buy a wand as well?" the older man asked.

"Yes, I am. Are you the shopkeeper?"

"Oh no dear," the man chuckled. "I'm here with my son to purchase a wand. He got his letter in December but we've only just had the chance to come into town and buy supplies. My wife is with our other children, buying the other supplies and our oldest's new books."

"Oh, I see," Morena blushed at mistaking the man's identity.

"Anyway, I'm Arthur Weasley and this is my son, Charlie," he introduced.

"I'm Morena," she stopped, feeling as though she shouldn't say her last name.

"Hello," came a wispy voice from behind Arthur.

"Ah, Mr. Ollivander, is that Charlie's next wand?"

"Yes, yes. Though it seems we have another guest. Hello dear, what would your last name be? If I have that, I'm sure I can find a nice starting place for you," Ollivander's eyes twinkled down at her.

"Morena Malfoy, sir," she said sheepishly. After she said that, she did not look at the redheads again and instead focused on her feet or the counter.

"Here you go young lad, pear, 13 inches, dragon heartstring. Give it a little wave," Ollivander smiled at the boy and a warm golden glow filled the room as a soft breeze that smelled of fire and and earth rustled the paper on the walls.

"That's the one!" Ollivander exclaimed in his soft voice. Mr. Weasley thanked the man and hurriedly paid, rushing his son out of the door before an elder Malfoy saw him around the girl.

"So, Morena, what wands do your parents have?" Olivander asked.

"Well, they both have elm, I know Father has a dragon core, but I don't know about Mother's."

"Well, we'll start you out with some 10 inch elms," Ollivander pulled those out from a fairly close shelf. None of them worked, but the unicorn hair core seemed to sputter out a couple of sparks. Ollivander held the wand to his ear and smiled.

"I have just the thing for you dear," he smiled as he stepped into another row and pulled out a box.

"This wand was made a century ago, by a witch with a bit of a flair for foliage," Ollivander smiled and handed her a wand about 14 inches long with a clump of peonies at the end of the handle. Morena held the wand and gave it an elegant swish. The scent of earth and peonies filled the air as a golden glow lit her face and a strong breeze cut through the room. Ollivander smiled.

"Cypress with unicorn core, 12 inches, springy." he stated. She smiled up at him as Narcissa walked through the front door.

"Mother! We just found the right one!" Morena exclaimed, hurrying to her mother and smiling brightly.

"Wonderful! What do I owe you, Mr. Ollivander?"

"Seven galleons should do it."


	5. Chapter 5

September 1st could not have come any later for Morena. She was packed by the beginning of August and for the entire month she wore only her least favorite clothes, her favorites being locked away in her trunk. Things that she needed during august were packed the morning she left at three in the morning. She had barely slept the night before due to her excitement. She dressed in her absolute favorite outfit, a simple lilac dress under a short cream robe. She pulled her hair into a loose braid and put on her favorite peppermint lip salve before putting her toiletries into her rucksack. She hurried through breakfast, a large and delicious meal the staff had prepared to send her off, and stood by the fireplace until Narcissa was ready to see her off. Lucius had already gone to work for the day. Narcissa came down the stairs at 20 till 11 to find Morena bouncing on her feet by the fireplace.

"Come on then," Narcissa smiled. They both entered the fireplace and Narcissa threw down a handful of floo powder, shouting "Platform 9 ¾!"

A dizzying few seconds later, they were stepping out of a fireplace on a nearly empty train platform. A scarlet steam engine shone in the sunlight streaming through the windows.

"Alright, your trunks go to the porter," Narcissa said while handing the trunks over to a young man in a uniform. "You take Barnabus and your rucksack onto the car with you, but leave them when you get off, someone will come and bring them to your room."

"Okay, I love you, Mother, keep Draco safe," Morena smiled as she went to hug Narcissa.

"Get on the train, dear, find a compartment, make some friends," Narcissa expertly avoided discussing feelings and hugs.

Morena got a compartment and turned to wave at her mother, but she was gone and the platform had started filling with people. As other children entered the train and walked by her compartment, a sinking feeling filled her. It was similar to the feeling she'd had when Narcissa was pregnant and knew from the novels she'd read that this was loneliness. She sat back in her seat and watched as kids leaned out of windows to receive final kisses on their hands and arms or take homemade snack parcels onto the train. A whistle blew and those who had yet to board hurried to do so, those already on waved and blew kisses. Morena turned her head and instead looked up at Barney in his carrier. He blinked slowly and gave her a consoling chirp. The train lurched and chugged out of the station and soon Morena couldn't see any sign that a second ago there had been children reaching out and saying goodbye to their parents. She sighed, relieved, and stood to let Barney out of his carrier.

Before she could free the cat, someone opened the compartment door.

"Hello, do you mind if we sit here, everywhere else seems to be full," a brunette girl asked. She looked to be Morena's age with wavy hair and merrily sparkling grey eyes. Behind her stood three boys. One was taller than average with black, carefully coiffed hair and the most piercing greeny-blue eyes. The shortest, who wasn't actually short by any means, had a shock of wild ginger curls resting over a freckled face and deep brown eyes. The tallest had artfully spiked brown hair and the palest grey eyes Morena had ever seen.

"Yes, of course, come in," Morena smiled. "You don't mind if I let my cat out, do you?"

"Of course not! I love cats," the girl smiled. Morena grinned and let Barney out of his crate. He leapt down and laid by Morena when she sat down. She put her hand beside her, palm up, he settled his paw on it and fell asleep.

"That's cute, I've never seen a cat do that," the girl carried the awkward conversation as the silent boys settled into seats.

"Yeah, he's done it since I got him. He's Barney and I'm Morena, by the way," Morena tried to transition smoothly into introductions.

"Oh! I'm Melanie Diggory," the girls nodded to each other.

"Gideon Crumb," the ginger boy said. He had a booming voice with a thick Scottish accent. Morena nodded to him with a smile.

"Donaghan Tremlett," the tallest smiled kindly. Morena gave him a small blush and a smile.

"And I'm Myron Wagtail," the boy with piercing eyes said in a soft voice. Morena turned her smile onto him and gave a nod of recognition.

"What year are you all going into?" Morena asked.

"First," they all said in unison. Everyone laughed.

"What a coincidence, so am I!" Morena smiled. Barney purred beside her and gently kneaded her palm. She lightly stroked the top of his paw with her thumb.

"Apparently, we're disturbing the little prince," she joked. Everyone laughed softly and then started in on discussions of what their lives had been like before their letters. Melanie was a pureblood and she had a younger brother who would start school in their sixth year. Myron was a half-blood and an only child. He spent most of his time living in muggle society. Donaghan was a muggleborn with an older sister who went to secondary school in Devon. Gideon was also a pureblood with an astounding extended family.

About three quarters of the way through the journey, everyone's conversations drew to a natural close and one by one, everyone drifted off to change into their robes. Morena put Barney back in his carrier when a prefect came to tell them they had to be ready to disembark within the next five minutes.

When the train pulled up to the platform, the sun was just setting. Everyone disembarked and as Morena stepped out with her new friends, they heard a booming voice shout.

"First years! First years come this way!"

A gargantuan man towered above the crowd, holding a lantern in one massive hand. His bushy black hair and beards obscured all of his features save a round nose and kind, black eyes.

"I'm Hagrid, and I'll be taking you all to Hogwarts. Follow me, please, this way!" the man shouted.

Morena and her four friends followed the other first years. They came to a dock where 20 boats rested. They weren't tied, but seemed to stay in place magically. Morena smiled as Myron and Donaghan marveled at the boats. Melanie and Gideon smiled as they each nudged one of their friends into a boat. Morena got in with Melanie and Donaghan as a blonde boy settled in with Gideon and Myron. They immediately made friends when Gideon and Myron saved the boy from falling into the blackening water. The sun was setting behind the trees west of the lake. Morena took a moment to look at her peers as they settled into their boats. The redheaded boy she had seen in Olivander's was sitting with a pink haired metamorphmagus and a small, blonde girl. Hagrid settled into his own boat and soon, seventeen of the boats, sixteen with three students each, glided gracefully across the lake. The sun was nearly fully set, but cast enough light to illuminate the spires of Hogwarts castle. Morena gasped lightly and clasped Donaghan and Melanie's hands.

"Merlin's beard," Melanie gasped.

"Bloody hell," Donaghan breathed.

Morena brought her friends' hands closer to her and let go to hug them.

"This is where we'll live our best years," Morena whispered conspiratorially.

She already felt more at home here, between two near strangers, than she ever had at the manor. Donaghan and Melanie laughed and the three fell back as the boat suddenly stopped. They helped each other up and out of the boat and followed Hagrid into the castle. Hagrid brought them into a grand entry with two sets of intimidating doors. An imposing woman stood on steps leading to one set.

"Thank you, Hagrid," the woman said. She had a terse voice, but she seemed fond of the giant man. "Welcome, first years. I am Professor McGonagall and through these doors is the Great Hall, a place you will become very familiar with in the next seven years. Now, you are about to be sorted into your Houses. Your Houses will be your family while you are at Hogwarts. I do not wish to see any pushing or rough housing while you wait to be sorted. Now, when I call your name you will sit on the stool at the front and then head to your House's table. Any questions?"

She opened the door before anyone could raise their hands and led the mass of eleven year olds through the doors. The walked between the middle two of four long, nearly full tables. A head was another long table, raised on a sort of stage. In front of the table sat a plain stool and a raggedy old hat.

"Aguinaga, Mindy," McGonagall called.

A girl with dark skin and long, braided pigtails made her way up the steps and sat on the stool. McGonagall placed the old hat over her braids. It had barely touched her hair when it roared, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Some of the first years drew back in shock. Mindy went to the table where students with red crested robes roared with applause. Mindy was followed by Florence Almeda, Ravenclaw, and Amery Barnes, Slytherin. Kazuko Banuelos joined Mindy in Gryffindor. Natasha Bohnsack and Brent Broxton joined Amery in Slytherin while Buddy Brandes was the first to go to Hufflepuff, followed by Cruz Capron and Brenna Chichester. Florence was joined by Rachel Burleigh and Jameson Canizales.

"Crumb, Gideon," McGonagall called.

Gideon bounded up the stairs and plopped onto the stool. McGonagall placed the hat on his head. He laughed his booming laugh as the hat bellowed, "GRYFFINDOR!"

He rushed down the stairs and was lost in the sea of black robes. Zulma Cutts went to Slytherin. Melanie was called next and went straight into Hufflepuff. Gryffindor gained Isaac Dumbleton and Ravenclaw acquired Ahmed Elia and the blonde boy from Myron and Gideon's boat, Merton Graves. The sorting dragged on; Taylor Herdman, Gryffindor, Illa Hiner, Hufflepuff, Olinda Hydrick and Lino Izzard, Slytherin, Nelle Jasik, Hufflepuff, Loren Jelley, Ravenclaw, Lovetta Kish, Gryffindor, Norbert Lawalin, Ravenclaw, Lisa Lilibridge, Gryffindor, Fidela Loan, Ravenclaw, Lavina Mattson, Gryffindor.

"Malfoy, Morena," finally resonated through the hall, amid dying Gryffindor applause. Morena gulped while Myron and Don both patted her on the back. She smiled back at them nervously and walked up the steps with as much dignity and grace as she could muster.

McGonagall placed the hat over Morena's head and it whispered, "Where to put you. You are quite clever, and talented, the best tutors money can buy. A lot of love for your family too, though they don't seem to be that good to you. But, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff just doesn't seem enough for your ambition and cunning. You'd do best in, SLYTHERIN!"

Morena let out a breath. Mother and Father could not be disappointed if she was put into the same house they had both been in. She rushed down the steps, happy to have the whole thing over with. Now, she only noticed when people came to join the Slytherins, like Valerie Mobley, Keven Nelson, Hamnet Ó Ceallaigh, Robert Scrivener, and Carine Tavintian. She did notice that the pink-haired girl, Nymphadora Tonks, and Donaghan managed to get into Hufflepuff and Myron was the last to get into Ravenclaw. The Weasley boy from the wand shop was last and went into Gryffindor.

Once all the first years were settled, a well-aged man with a long white beard and alarmingly purple robes stood at a golden podium.

"Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you," he announced. Morena looked to the girl next to her, Carine, questioningly.

"Do you think he's always that odd?" she asked.

"My mother says he's a bit mad, but he's supposed to be a good man. Basically defeated Grindewald by himself, so she says," Carine shrugged.

Morena shrugged back and looked to the plates on the table, previously empty, but now magically filled. She helped herself to roast chicken, boiled potatoes, peas, and carrots. She cut her potatoes and added some gravy to them and the peas, but made sure to keep the carrots on the other side of the chicken, safe from the little puddle. She and Carine chatted and found that they liked the same books and music, and could even play all the same instruments, flute, piano, and violin. Carine hadn't had vocal training like Morena, but had done painting and calligraphy, while Morena had only done calligraphy. These skills were considered important for marrying well, but they were also a sign of nobility among purebloods.

"Do you think you could help me with my singing?" Carine asked.

"Only if you teach me how to paint," Morena laughed. Morena helped herself to a pumpkin tart while Carine munched on treacle.

The girls laughed together through desert, talking about their mutual acquaintances from party's their parents had. Who had gotten entirely too jolly, and who had started clumsy duels and had to be subdued. Morena had Carine bursting at the seams with a story about a Goyle woman getting red punch all over a Zabini woman's white dress robes and the Zabini woman turning her into a blundering buffalo in the garden when their dessert disappeared and Dumbledore took to the podium again.

"Now that we've all sated ourselves, I have a few start-of-term notices to give you all. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students. I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind everyone that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" He flicked his wand and a golden ribbon alithered out of his wand, winding into the air above the tables and twisting into words. "Everyone pick their favorite tune and off we go!"

The hall erupted into noise, most off-key and all very different tunes.

Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald,

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling,

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot.

Morena had chosen a Celestina Warbeck's take on the Puddlemore United team anthem. The Singing Sorceress was one of Narcissa's guilty pleasures and she often listened to her with Draco and Morena. Dumbledore called for the first years to follow their Prefects to their dormitories. Morena and Carine followed a girl named Jezza and a boy named Garret down into the dungeons and arrived at a blank stone wall.

"Half Breed," Garret announced.

"Passwords change twice a month, on the first and third Monday," Jezza assured the first years.

The stone wall moved aside and Jezza led the first years into a narrow corridor that opened into a small entryway with a large, black door. She opened the door and led everyone into a large chamber filled with green lights, green and black sofas and chairs. A large window showed the green waters of the lake they had crossed earlier.

"This is the common room. The doors to either side will lead you to the dorms. First year dorms are on the first landing. As you go up a year, you will go up a floor. Each dorm has windows leading to the lake, so don't open them, obviously," Jezza said, and turned on her heel to join a group of girls.

"You should all turn in. Have a good night," Garret concluded their "tour" and joined Jezza.

Morena, Carine, and the rest of the new Slytherin girls followed a second year into the stairway that led to the dorms and hustled up the flight of stairs. Everyone's things were stacked to one side. Carine and Morena clasped hands and ran to claim the beds closest to the window, one on either side. The four poster beds surrounded a huge, black pillar with a silver snake climbing up, only you could only see the tail and part of the body.

"The head must be in the seventh years' dorm," Morena said, pointing at it. Carine nodded as she heaved her trunk onto her bed.

Morena unpacked her clothes, packed her school bag (equipped with an undetectable extension charm) and let Barney out of his carrier. She changed and brushed her teeth in the small, communal bathroom and went to sleep to the sound of Barney purring and water swirling against the window.


End file.
